The following press releases were sent out by The ESOP Association announcing the winners of the 2015 AACE Awards and the 2015 ESOP Awards. We’ve also included news and announcements regarding new Board of Directors members, new Board of Governors members, new Advisory Committee Chairs, and news from the Employee Ownership Foundation. This information is also available on The ESOP Association’s website.

Congratulations to all the 2015 award winners.

The ESOP Association Honors Members for Excellence in Employee Ownership Communications

The ESOP Association is pleased to announce the 2015 winners of the Annual Awards for Communications Excellence (AACE). The AACE Awards are sponsored each year by the Association to recognize the outstanding communications and educational programs of its members. The awards will be presented to companies who have excelled in communicating the ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) and its meaning to employee owners at the Association’s 24th Annual Awards Ceremony as part of the 38th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

AACE Award winners are chosen by a panel of five judges made up of both management and non-management employee owners, each of whom has demonstrated active experience and interest in the field of ESOPs and employee ownership communications. Awards are based on: overall quality and quantity of employee owner education, contributions of employee owners, integration of the ESOP into company culture, frequency of ownership communications, involvement and/or response of employee owners, encouragement of ownership attitudes, clear explanations, creative ideas, graphic design, and technical quality.

The ESOP Association has presented 48 corporate members of the Association with a Silver ESOP Award to recognize their work in sustaining their ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) for 25 years or more. This year, the Silver ESOP Awards are being presented to companies that will be celebrating 25 years or more as an ESOP company in 2015.

This is the eighth year the Silver ESOP Awards have been presented by the Association. In 2008, 117 corporate members were presented with the first annual Silver ESOP Awards; 2009, 12 members; 2010, 22 members; 2011, 41 members; 2012, 49 members; 2013, 26 members; and in 2014, 45 members were honored. To be named a Silver ESOP Award recipient, a company must be a member of The ESOP Association and have an ESOP in place for 25 years or more.

“It is my pleasure to present the following 48 ESOP companies with the 2015 Silver ESOP Award for excellence in sustaining their ESOP for 25 years,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling. “Research proves that employee owned companies provide more sustainable employment and preserve locally-controlled jobs in today’s global economy. The 300 plus Silver ESOP companies who are members of the Association prove that employee stock ownership through the ESOP is not a short-term corporate model.”

2015 Silver ESOP Award Recipients:

Acme Rigging & Supply Co., Inc., Ukiah, CA

Alpine Lumber Company, Westminster, CO

Ankrom Moisan Architects, Inc., Portland, OR

Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc., Carrollton, GA

AVI Systems, Inc., Lenexa, KS

Barkley, Kansas City, MO

Cactus Feeders, Inc., Amarillo, TX

Carbo Forge, Inc., Fremont, OH

Cellusuede Products, Inc., Rockford, IL

Central Bag Company, Leavenworth, KS

Consulting Engineers Group, Inc., Mount Prospect, IL

CSR, Incorporated, Arlington, VA

Dealers Electrical Supply Co., Waco, TX

Dental Health Services, Inc., Long Beach, CA

Diamond Saw Works, Inc., Chaffee, NY

Dynetics, Inc., Huntsville, AL

ESOP of People’s Bank and Trust Co., Byrdstown, TN

First State Bancorp of Monticello Inc., Monticello, IL

Hainje’s, Inc., Brewton, AL

Hanson Group, Inc., Springfield, IL

Hoffman & Hoffman, Inc., Greensboro, NC

Hyspeco, Inc., Springfield, MO

ICM, Inc., Jacksonville, AR

Kapco Global, Brea, CA

Keenan Energy Company, Columbia, SC

Kleinfelder, Inc., Oakland, CA

Lesman Instrument Company, Bensenville, IL

Los Alamos National Bank, Los Alamos, NM

Lumbermen’s, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI

Marco, Saint Cloud, MN

Market Contractors, LTD., Portland, OR

McCreary Bancshares, Inc., Whitley City, KY

McLean Contracting Company, Glen Burnie, MD

Moss Engineering Corp., Fort Wayne, IN

Olum’s of Binghamton, Inc., Vestal, NY

Parksite Inc., Batavia, IL

Plastic Products Company, Inc., Lindstrom, MN

Rapid Line Inc., Grand Rapids, MI

Saginaw Bay Underwriters, Saginaw, MI

Spirol International Holding Company, Danielson, CT

TDIndustries, Inc., Dallas, TX

Tecolote Research, Inc., Goleta, CA

The Feingold Companies, Worcester, MA

The Plastic Forming Company, Inc., Woodbridge, CT

TriMark Corporation, New Hampton, IA

United States Sugar Corporation, Clewiston, FL

Watkins Ross & Company, Grand Rapids, MI

Your Building Centers, Inc., Altoona, PA

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Lauri Veverka of Entertainment Partners Named 2015 Employee Owner of the Year by The ESOP Association

Lauri Veverka of Entertainment Partners located in Burbank, California, has been named the 2015 Employee Owner of the Year by The ESOP Association.

As the Marketing Creative Lead for Entertainment Partners, Ms. Veverka is a visible employee owner. She delivers the company’s message through her work and is a vital force in the company’s marketing and communications efforts. She also works internally to help align the employee owners of Entertainment Partners with the company’s vision. According to Entertainment Partners, it would be difficult to find an employee owner more enthusiastic, or more effective, in promoting the ESOP. Ms. Veverka currently chairs the company’s ESOP Communications Committee and was actively involved in promoting the ESOP before joining the Committee by designing a yearly Employee Ownership Month poster, creating the company newsletter, and documenting ESOP company events. As the current Committee Chair, she now leads all ESOP promotion efforts. She is involved with just about everything Entertainment Partners does to celebrate, encourage, and educate employee owners about the ESOP.

Adding her voice to the Association, she has become increasingly involved with the Association and the California/Western States Chapter. She participates on panels at the national Annual Conference and at Chapter conferences to promote the need for an effective ESOP Committee to engage and educate employee owners. In 2010 and 2014, Ms. Veverka designed the winning poster for the Employee Ownership Month Poster Contest, which is a national contest held by the Association each year. In addition, she prepares and submits the company’s AACE Awards entry and won first place in the Special Events and Promotions – Series of Events, Over 250 Employees category in 2014.

Entertainment Partners provides payroll services, production employee services, residuals and talents payments, central casting, and production incentives to the entertainment industry. The employee owners of Entertainment Partners number more than 900, with offices in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Since 2004, Entertainment Partners has been fully owned by the employees. More information about Entertainment Partners: http://www.entertainmentpartners.com.

“Lauri is a true ESOP leader — she never volunteers to seek recognition but to be an asset to the cause. I’m pleased to present her with the 2015 Employee Owner of the Year Award for the work she has done, and continues to do, to promote employee ownership,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling.

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Travel and Transport, Inc. Named 2015 ESOP Company of the Year by The ESOP Association

Travel and Transport, Inc., an employee-owned company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, was named the 2015 ESOP Company of the Year by The ESOP Association.

On October 16, 1946 Lawrence and Mae Youngman opened the doors of Travel and Transport. They had “two second-hand desks and one typewriter and a world of ignorance,” Youngman recalled. The staff included Lawrence and another individual; neither of whom had any experience in the travel business. After 68 years, and many adventures later, not only is the present-day Travel and Transport a thriving business but also a 100% employee-owned company. Located in 37 states, and with more than 1,200 employee owners, this ESOP company earns its reputation through passion, innovation, and commitment to excellence. More information about Travel and Transport: https://www.travelandtransport.com/.

Travel and Transport is a strong supporter of employee ownership and its employee owners strive to represent the company at both Chapter and national ESOP Association events. Working to strengthen employee ownership in America, the employee owners of Travel and Transport meet with members of Congress — to date, the employee owners of Travel and Transport have met with every Congressional office in their home state of Nebraska — and work to promote ESOP issues not only in Nebraska but on the national level as well.

“I’m delighted to present the employee owners of Travel and Transport with the 2015 ESOP Company of the Year Award,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling. “The employee owners integrate the ESOP into all they do at the company from management support, to annual shareholder meetings, to trivia contests to keep employee owners interested and engaged. The employee owners also endeavor to share that ESOP spirit with the community, both locally and nationally.”

Named 2015 ESOP Chapter of the Year & Recognized for Membership Development

The Ohio/Kentucky Chapter of The ESOP Association was named the 2015 ESOP Chapter of the Year by The ESOP Association. Additionally, the Chapter was also recognized for its commitment to membership development on the Chapter level for the second time.

The Association’s Ohio/Kentucky Chapter experienced all-time highs in meeting attendance over the last year and Chapter members outdid previous work in support of membership development, fundraising for the Association’s affiliated foundation, the Employee Ownership Foundation, and support of the Association’s government relations efforts. The Ohio/Kentucky Chapter was selected from among 18 Association Chapters across the United States for this honor. The Ohio/Kentucky Chapter includes Association members in Ohio and Kentucky.

In addition to the national honor of ESOP Chapter of the Year, the Ohio/Kentucky Chapter has been recognized for its commitment to membership development and for its work in membership recruitment.

“The leaders of the Ohio/Kentucky Chapter provide excellent value to ESOP Association members in their region. I’m proud to honor the Ohio/Kentucky Chapter, and its members, with the 2015 ESOP Chapter of the Year Award and recognition for membership development,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling. “The Ohio/Kentucky Chapter’s leadership worked hard to make the ESOP community’s voice stronger.”

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Karen L. Ellis Named ESOP Chapter Officer of the Year by The ESOP Association

Karen L. Ellis, Vice President, HR & Corporate Development, of Transhumance, Inc., located in Davis, California, was named the 2015 ESOP Chapter Officer of the Year by The ESOP Association.

Ms. Ellis has been actively involved with the Association on both the Chapter and national levels for several years. She is currently the Immediate Past President of the California/Western States Chapter and previously served as Chapter President. Ms. Ellis has been active in sharing the employee ownership message and working to promote the Association to new members in the California/Western States Chapter.

“I’m proud to present Karen with the Association’s 2015 ESOP Chapter Officer of the Year Award,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling. “She has contributed to not only the Chapter but the Association as a whole with her leadership of the California/Western States Chapter. I’m pleased to present Karen with this award for her work in promoting the employee ownership message and The ESOP Association.”

Three Chapters of The ESOP Association were recognized for their commitment to membership recruitment at the Association’s 38th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

Members of the California/Western States, Hawaii, and Indiana Chapters met several targets in the promotion of employee ownership in their regions and also met Chapter membership goals for 2014-2015. These three outstanding Chapters were selected from among 18 Association Chapters across the United States for this honor.

The California/Western States Chapter includes Association members in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. The Hawaii Chapter represents members in Hawaii, and the Indiana Chapter is comprised of members in the state of Indiana.

“I’m pleased to present these three Chapters with the Outstanding Membership Recruitment Award,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling. “These three Chapters worked hard to meet target prospect goals and to promote the cause of employee ownership among ESOP companies in their Chapters.”

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ASU Group Wins 2015 Employee Ownership Month Poster Contest

ASU Group, an employee-owned company located in Okemos, Michigan, has been selected by The ESOP Association as its 2015 Employee Ownership Month Poster Contest Winner. The winning poster design was unveiled at the Association’s 38th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

ASU Group, founded in 1952, was originally called Michigan Claim Service and began providing independent claims adjusting services for insurance companies in lower Michigan. Over the years, the company expanded to encompass all of Michigan and diversified into risk management, catastrophe adjusting, medical review and case management to reflect the diverse services for the insurance and risk industry. In time, the group changed from being known as Michigan Claim Service to The ASU Group. In 1981, the founders formed the ESOP, and in 1996, ASU Group became 100% employee-owned.

According to the company’s website: “ASU’s status as an ESOP organization not only benefits our employee owners, but also benefits our clients. By its very nature, our ESOP allows each employee to be self-motivated and to think and act like an owner. Each employee has a stake in the success of our clients and in the future success of the company.”

ASU Group’s poster was chosen as the 2015 winner because of the idea it expressed: Flying as a team gives our ESOP wings.

The winning poster will be used by The ESOP Association to promote Employee Ownership Month, which takes place every October and is a celebration of the incredible spirit of employee ownership. For more information about Employee Ownership Month.

The 2015 Employee Ownership Month Poster Contest winner

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Jeffrey S. Gelburd Named 2015 Outstanding Board of Governors Member by The ESOP Association

Jeffrey S. Gelburd, Vice President of Murray Securus, located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was named the 2015 Outstanding Board of Governors Member by The ESOP Association.

Mr. Gelburd is an active member of The ESOP Association’s Board of Governors and has served in numerous volunteer capacities for the Association; most recently as the current President of The ESOP Association’s Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter. He is involved on both the Chapter and national levels and has been actively working to promote the Association and employee ownership in America.

“I’m proud to present Jeff with the Association’s 2015 award for Outstanding Board of Governors Member,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling. “Jeff is a committed advocate of employee ownership and I’m pleased to present him with this award for his work in helping to grow the cause of employee ownership.”

Joseph D. Verri, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist with The Bay Colony at Morgan Stanley, located in Waltham, Massachusetts, was presented with The ESOP Association’s 2015 Membership Recruitment Award for a Professional Member.

Mr. Verri is enthusiastically involved in the work of The ESOP Association, and in particular, the New England Chapter of the Association where he currently serves as the Chapter’s Vice President-Membership. His commitment to employee ownership through the ESOP concept is evident in the work he has done, not only for his clients, but for the Association. Mr. Verri actively educates companies about the Association and promotes the mission and vision of the Association as well.

“It is my pleasure to present Joseph with the 2015 Membership Recruitment Award for the work he has done to promote employee ownership and the work of the Association to new members,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling.

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Robert W. Edwards Receives Life Service Award from The ESOP Association

For his impressive contributions to the employee ownership community and his commitment to the Employee Ownership Foundation and The ESOP Association, Robert W. Edwards, Partner at Steiker Greenapple & Croscut, P.C. located in Providence, Rhode Island, has been awarded The ESOP Association’s Life Service Award, the Association’s highest honor.

Mr. Edwards is a current Trustee and past member of the Executive Committee of the Employee Ownership Foundation, The ESOP Association’s affiliated 501(c)(3) Foundation dedicated to promoting employee ownership in America. For many years, as part of his diligent fundraising work for the Foundation, he wrote the yearly appeal letter that was sent to members. In the past, he has served as a member of The ESOP Association’s Board of Directors, and as a member of the Board of Directors, Mr. Edwards was instrumental in the creation of the Association’s Strategic Plan. He is an active member of the employee ownership community as part of the Association’s New England Chapter and a member of The ESOP Association Advisory Committee on Legislative & Regulatory Issues.

“Rob has been active in the ESOP community for many years and is always passionate about his work for the Foundation and the Association,” said the President of Employee Ownership Foundation and The ESOP Association, J. Michael Keeling. “His leadership and ardent work has made both the Employee Ownership Foundation and the Association better and I’m honored to present Rob with the 2015 Life Service Award.”

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Lonnie L. Peppler-Moyer Receives Life Service Award from The ESOP Association

For her remarkable dedication to the ESOP community and commitment to The ESOP Association, Lonnie L. Peppler-Moyer, President and Publisher of the Monroe Publishing Company located in Monroe, Michigan, has been awarded The ESOP Association’s Life Service Award, the Association’s highest honor.

Ms. Peppler-Moyer has held several leadership positions within both The ESOP Association and the Employee Ownership Foundation, the Association’s affiliated 501(c)(3) Foundation dedicated to promoting employee ownership in America. Over the years, she has served as a Chapter leader and President of the Association’s Michigan Chapter. She served as a member of the Board of Directors and as Chair of the Association during the Great Recession from 2009 – 2011. Ms. Peppler-Moyer is a current Trustee of the Employee Ownership Foundation working to raise awareness of employee ownership in America.

“Lonnie has always been passionate about her work for the Association and the Foundation,” said President of The ESOP Association and Employee Ownership Foundation, J. Michael Keeling. “Her leadership and guidance as Association Chair during the Great Recession inspired staff and kept the Association moving forward. I’m proud to present Lonnie with the 2015 Life Service Award for her contributions to the ESOP community.”

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Cindy Turcot Elected Chair of The ESOP Association

Members Installed to Board Positions

Cindy Turcot, Chief Operating Officer of Gardener’s Supply Company located in Burlington, Vermont, has been elected to serve as Chair of The ESOP Association.

Ms. Turcot is an active member of The ESOP Association and the Association’s New England Chapter. She has served on The ESOP Association’s Board as Vice Chair for the last two years. Her term as Chair begins May 1, 2015 and will continue until April 30, 2017.

“Cindy has been active in the ESOP community and with the Association for many years,” said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling. “Her contributions have increased the effectiveness of Association services and we are excited Cindy will be the Chief Elected Officer of the Association and the primary driver of the Association’s mission to advocate and educate for employee ownership for the next two years.”

The Board of Directors is the premier governing body of The ESOP Association. Seven members of its ten person Board of Directors are elected by the Association’s Board of Governors who are elected by Association members.

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The ESOP Association Announces New Board of Governors Members

The following ESOP Association members have been elected to serve on The ESOP Association’s Board of Governors as of May 1, 2015.

For election to another three-year term to the Board of Governors as a representative of a Corporate Member of The ESOP Association:

On May 1, 2015, three ESOP Association members were elected as Advisory Committee Chairs of The ESOP Association. These Committees are comprised primarily of members of the Association who work in the area of their Committee’s jurisdiction. The Advisory Committees play an important role in developing services for members of the Association and are comprised of both corporate and professional members of the Association.

In addition to the Chairs below, Peter J. Shuler of Crowe Horwath LLP, Columbus, Ohio, will serve as Chair of the Association’s Advisory Committee’s Chairs Council.

The Employee Ownership Foundation announced today that Mark R. Lomele, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Recology located in San Francisco, California, will take over as the new Chair of the Foundation. The Employee Ownership Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Foundation dedicated to promoting employee ownership and is an affiliate of The ESOP Association, a national trade association for employee owned companies.

Effective May 1, 2015, Mr. Lomele will take the wheel from outgoing Chair Frieda S. Takaki, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHART Rehabilitation of Hawaii, Inc. located in Honolulu, Hawaii who served as Chair of the Employee Ownership Foundation for the past four years. Ms. Takaki will become the Immediate Past Chair of the Employee Ownership Foundation.

Mr. Lomele is active in the California/Western States Chapter of The ESOP Association and has served in several leadership positions as a member of The ESOP Association. He has been very active as a Foundation Trustee and from 2011– 2013, Mr. Lomele served as Chair of The ESOP Association.

“We are excited Mark will be taking over as Chair of the Employee Ownership Foundation,” said J. Michael Keeling, President of the Employee Ownership Foundation. “He is a dynamic leader with new ideas to lead the Foundation forward.”

Congratulations to the 2015 AACE Award winners. Winners will be honored at the 24th Annual Awards Ceremony on May 6, 2015 in Washington, DC and all 2015 AACE Award entries will be on display during the Annual Conference. Join us in Washington, DC, connect with employee owners in the ESOP community and take the opportunity to view the creativity on display at the AACE Awards exhibition. More information about the Awards Ceremony and the Annual Conference can be found here.

AACE Award winners are chosen by a panel of five judges made up of both management and non-management employee owners, each of whom has demonstrated active experience and interest in the field of ESOPs and employee ownership communications. Awards are based on: overall quality and quantity of employee owner education, contributions of employee owners, integration of the ESOP into company culture, frequency of ownership communications, involvement and/or response of employee owners, encouragement of ownership attitudes, clear explanations, creative ideas, graphic design, and technical quality.